Current Technical Electives

Technical electives offered by the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering may be found under the acronym "CHBE" in the course catalog and on Testudo, our online service where you will also find admission, registration, financial, class scheduling, residency, and other important information.Please note that not all electives will be available in every semester or year.Please check Testudo for course availability each semester!

Please use the following policies to guide you as you select your courses each semester:

The ChBE program allows students to take up to 6 credits of the independent study (research) course CHBE 468; however, a maximum of three credits of CHBE 468 can be used to fulfill technical elective requirements.

Students should select electives with the help of an academic advisor.

Normally at least two of the three technical electives should be CHBE 4XX; the third elective may be chosen from CHBE or from the approved list of non-CHBE technical courses. 400-level technical electives from other departments cross-listed with CHBE also will count as CHBE electives, but please note that students should register for the CHBE section whenever possible.

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Electives

Course Number

Course Title/Description

Credits

Photovoltaics: Solar EnergyFormerly ENCH 468LPrerequisite: Permission of Department. Credit only granted for ENCH 468L or CHBE 451.
The emphasis of the class is on developing a conceptual understanding of the device physics and manufacturing processes of crystalline and thin-film photovoltaic cells, and to develop elementary computational skills necessary to quantify solar cell efficiency. The class material includes detailed, system-level energy balances necessary to understand how solar energy fits into the complete energy generation, conversion, and storage picture. Quantitative comparisons of PV technology to solar chemical conversion processes and biofuels are made.

3

CHBE

454

Chemical Process Analysis and OptimizationFormerly ENCH468CPrerequisites: MATH 246, CHBE 426 and CHBE 440. Applications of mathematical models to the analysis and optimization of chemical processes. Models based on transport, chemical kinetics and other chemical engineering principles will be employed.

3

CHBE

468/469

Undergraduate ResearchPrerequisite: Permission of both department and instructor. Repeatable up to 6 credits; however, a maximum of three credits of CHBE 468 can be used to fulfill technical elective requirements.
Investigation of a research project under the direction of a faculty member. Comprehensive reports are required.

1-3

CHBE

469

Undergraduate Special ProjectPrerequisite: Permission of both department and instructor. Repeatable up to 6 credits; however, a maximum of three credits of CHBE 469 can be used to fulfill technical elective requirements.
Investigation of a research project under the direction of a faculty member. Comprehensive reports are required.

1-3

CHBE

472

Control of Air Pollution Sources
Sources and effects of air pollutants, regulatory trends, atmospheric dispersion models, fundamentals of two-phase flow as applied to air pollution and air pollution control systems, design of systems for control of gases and particulate matter

3

CHBE

473

Electrochemical Energy EngineeringFormerly ENCH 468K
Prerequisite: Permission of Department. Credit only granted for ENCH 468K or CHBE 473.
The lecture will start from the basic electrochemical thermodynamics and kinetics, with emphasis on electrochemical techniques, fundamental principle and performance of batteries, and supercapacitors.

3

CHBE

476

Molecular Modeling Methods
Statistical mechanics will be introduced to give the fundamental background for atomic to mesoscale molecular modeling. Classical atomic-level simulations methods (Monte Carlos and Molecular Dynamics) and the procedures to develop intra and intermolecular potentials will be covered. This course will also discuss the theory and application of coarse-grained molecular simulations, mesoscale simulations and other modern simulation techniques. A broad range of applications will be included throughout the semester, e.g., phase behavior of small molecules, kinetics, and biophysics.

3

CHBE

477

Mesoscopic and Nanoscale Thermodynamics: Fundamentals for Emerging TechnologiesPrerequisite: The course assumes that students have had a prior course in classical thermodynamics. Interdisciplinary course primarily for graduate and senior undergraduate students from engineering or science departments. New emerging technologies deal with bio-membrane and gene engineering, microreactor chemistry and microcapsule drug delivery, micro-fluids and porous media, nanoparticles and nanostructures, supercritical fluid extraction and artificial organs. Engineers often design processes where classical thermodynamics may be insufficient, e.g., strongly fluctuating and nanoscale systems, or dissipative systems under conditions far away from equilibrium.

Transport Phenomena in Small and Biological SystemsPrerequisites: A prior course in transport phenomena such as CHBE 422 or CHBE 424, or permission of the instructor. Interdisciplinary course primarily for senior undergraduate and graduate students from engineering or science departments. The course's main goal is to make the students familiar with the fundamental physics and modeling of transport phenomena in small and biological systems, and their current scientific and engineering utilization in microfluidics, nanofluidics and biological systems.

Metabolic Pathway Engineering
This course will cover state of the art metabolic engineering, with a focus on the analysis and engineering of metabolic pathways through (chemical) engineering principles, Topics covered include: (1) overview of biochemistry and metabolism; (2) metabolic flux analysis and isotope labeling illustrated with examples from the recent scientific literature; (3) technologies for engineering metabolic pathways; (4) metabolic control analysis and pathway regulation; (5) applications of metabolic engineering to synthesis of biofuels and therapeutics; (6) specialized and related subjects such as protein engineering and synthetic biology.

3

CHBE

486

Heterogeneous Catalysis for Energy ApplicationPrerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in CHBE 302, CHBE 424, and CHBE 440; and permission of instructor. Credit only granted for: CHBE 486 or ENCH 686. Additional information: This is a pilot course.
Introduction to heterogeneous catalytic science and technology for energy conversion and hydocarbon processing. Preparation and mechanistic characterization of catalyst systems, kinetics of catalyzed reactions, adsorption and diffusion influences in heterogenious reactions. An overview of heterogeneous catalysis in various energy-related applications, including petroleum refining, chemicals from biomass, valorization of shale gas, and CO2 utilization will be introduced.

3

CHBE

487

Tissue EngineeringFormerly: ENCH 468TPrerequisite: Must be in a major within the ENGR-Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department; or permission of Department. Also offered as: BIOE411. Credit only granted for BIOE 411, CHBE 487, or ENCH 468T.
A review of the fundamental principles involved in the design of engineered tissues and organs. Both biological and engineering fundamentals will be considered. Specific tissue systems will be emphasized at the end of the course.

3

CHBE

490

Introduction to Polymer SciencePrerequisites: CHBE 424 and CHBE 440.Also offered as ENMA 495. Credit will be granted for only one of the following: CHBE 490 or ENMA 495. The elements of the polymer chemistry and industrial polymerization, polymer structures and physics, thermodynamics of polymer solutions, polymer processing methods, and engineering applications of polymers.

3

CHBE

495

Nanoparticle Aerosol Dynamics and Particle TechnologyPrerequisites: Must be in a major within the ENGR-Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department; and permission of Department.
NanoParticles (NA) ( < 100 nm), and their science and technology play an important role in nature and industry. From air quality standards, nuclear reactor safety, inhalation therapy, workplace exposure, global climate change, to counterterrorism, aerosols play a central role in our environment. On the industrial side, NA plays an integral part of reinforcing fillers, pigments and catalysts, and the new emerging field of nanotechnology, they are the building blocks to new materials, which encompass, electronic, photonic and magnetic devices, and bio and chemical sensors.

3

Approved Electives From Other Departments

For the most up-to-date course descriptions and information on prerequisites, please see Testudo or visit the websites of the departments offering the courses.